Bluffton Boys and Girls Club

Honestly, I am surprised no one has blogged about what happened yesterday at the Bluffton Boys and Girls Club. First off, I would like to say that I am very grateful and appreciate what the Club has done for my child, and the community. But what they did yesterday was very unprofessional, tacky, malicious and downright rude. Giving members a 24 hour notice of a mandatory meeting was not cool - and yes, you did not post the banner up until Tuesday. Second off - telling everyone that the Club was closing permanently when in fact you were just trying to scare the members into coming to the meeting to inform them that the Club will begin charging a rate of $60 a month. Why on Earth would you have OUR children outside jumping up and down with posters saying the Club was CLOSED FOREVER, and then tell us that your actually staying open??? Whose idea was it to piss off the people you need the support and money from by doing something stupid like that? WOW...

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I saw tv news about the B&G Club last night and would like to know more about what really happened. The news mentioned the $60/month charge, and showed an adorable little boy talking about the value to him of having someplace to go after school, but I'm wondering how they went from an annual fee to a monthly charge that seems to me as though it would be hard for some families to pay.

I know someone who claims to have been "forced out" of her job there a month or so ago. How long have there been problems and how did they get so big? Does B&G Club have a hands-on Board or just some people who want their names out there?

"... the fundamental test of a society is how it treats the least powerful among us." --- Edward Moore Kennedy, August 1992

I know they have a board - because that is who supposedly decided to "close the club". As of right now there is a petition being signed by members to pay $60 per month until further notice, and they have a right to raise the fee. I am very uncomfortable with how things are being run. For one, why is there a waiting list to get kids in there...yet they are having a shortfall of income? My common sense tells me to get those kids in there that are on a waiting list! Another thing is the cafeteria. I bet it costs too much money to run that...don't supply food! Make parents supply snacks and food during intercession. I don't see any marketing for the club, and honestly I don't feel they are putting themselves out there enough to drive in more donations. They built that building and spent way too much money in the first place, and poorly managed budgets throughout the time it's been open. They've raised their rates, their summer rates, their daily rates when school is closed...so to be honest I don't know why they are out of money. I would not mind paying $60 a month; in fact I wish they had implemented that idea a long time ago - before it got so bad that the board is now inclinded to close the doors.

Well, Boys & Girls does get funding from a lot of community sources. I can't imagine that some of the people who review grant requests will be happy with what you've described. Also, there may be some public money involved, and they had better be able to explain their situation to those monitors. The problem is that it takes a long time for some issues to surface and by then the clients (kids and families in this case) have lost.

Thanks for bringing this up, Happy Chick. You may have speeded up the oversight process. I hope so.

"... the fundamental test of a society is how it treats the least powerful among us." --- Edward Moore Kennedy, August 1992

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